On 2 Aug 2017, at 15:10, Mariano Martinez Peck <marianopeck@gmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 10:50 AM, Tim Mackinnon <tim@testit.works> wrote:

Mariano - out of curiosity, how do you build your image - do you use zero conf and then apply a known .st script? (I used to use pharo launcher back in the day - but now I find that zeroconf is actually handier anyway).

My work flow explained below is only for when I am using stable Pharo for a paid client. In this case, I am not grabbing Pharo latest code all the time. Only every in a while. So, my workflow is as follow:

1) with zero conf I simply grab image and vm (I try to keep my app working with latest stable)

 

2) Apply a known load script that we keep maintained (this is somehwere in a wiki). This script contains:

       2.1) settings of Author, Monticello username and pass etc.

       2.2) Several custom settings/preferences that I like to change to the default image (this could be replaced by startup preferences thingy).

       2.3) Workaround for bugs I hit and that are not backported to stable version.

       2.4) Install 3er party libs I want for my development image (Calypso browser, code critics (now integrated), etc etc).

       2.5) Finally, I load my app code.

3) Once I am done loading all of it, I save that image as "PharoMyAppTemplate.image". And I never do real work with that image. 

4) Each time I need a new image (to make a new feature, a bug fix, whatever) I take "PharoMyAppTemplate.image" and I do a "save as" with either number like "PharoMyApp1.image" or "PharoMyAppBug3232.image" or ""PharoMyAppNewFeature.image" etc. I create these images many times and I don't have a strong policy on when to create new ones. Whenever I create one of these images, I upload my app code to latest code. 

5) Every in a while, I update my template image. Mostly when I change my dependencies. 

I can share the script if you want. 

Cheers,

 

Tim

On 2 Aug 2017, at 13:24, Mariano Martinez Peck <marianopeck@gmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 9:16 AM, Tim Mackinnon <tim@testit.works> wrote:

Hi - I���ve noticed that when I download a new image+vm with zeroconf (in a fresh directory) - that when I launch it, the setting Tools | Software Config Mgnmnt | Monticello | Local Cache Directory has a value that points to a directory from one of my earlier images.

Is this normal (does it store this information somewhere on my computer so that different setups can access it)?

At first I thought this was annoying - but I���m now wondering if this is useful as I���m guessing that there isn���t any reason to have separate caches for version controlled libraries and so maybe I should actually set it to some common directory?

What is the recommended strategy?

My strategy is to use a shared repository for all my images. As part of my build image scripts I do something like this:

" =============== Personal Settings ================ "

MCCacheRepository cacheDirectory: '/Users/mariano/Pharo/localRepo/' asFileReference.
MCGitHubRepository cacheDirectory: '/Users/mariano/Pharo/localRepo/' asFileReference.
GTPlayBook cacheDirectory: '/Users/mariano/Pharo/play-cache/' asFileReference. 

GTPlayBook stashDirectory: '/Users/mariano/Pharo/play-stash/' asFileReference. 

I guess you save stuff:

find /Users/mariano/Pharo/localRepo/ -type f | wc -l                                                                    

   32301

 du -sh /Users/mariano/Pharo/localRepo

6.1G    /Users/mariano/Pharo/localRepo

Not only you save disk space, but also:

1) Each image build is likely to take less time as many files will be already in the cache (no need to redownload it).

2) it works as a yet another backup of your code and other packages. 

-- 

Mariano
http://marianopeck.wordpress.com

-- 

Mariano
http://marianopeck.wordpress.com